Thousands honour Humboldt Broncos at vigil

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

HUMBOLDT, Sask. - Thousands of people gathered in an arena in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, last night to remember the 15 people who died when the junior hockey team's bus collided with a tractor-trailer on Friday.

Pictures of the dead and the 14 injured were placed on stands in the arena, and Pastor Sean Brandow, the Humboldt Bronco's chaplain, shared what it was like to be at the crash scene and at the hospital.

He said he remembered panic, fear, distress, pain and darkness.

Brandow urged people affected by the crash to help each other and to lean on their faith.

People laid flowers in a circle around centre ice as family and friends of players listened to prayers and hymns.

Team president Kevin Garinger said those suffering shock and heartache need to remember that they are not alone.

He then slowly read off a list of the injured and dead, his voice breaking toward the end.

Garinger told the vigil that they are all Humboldt Broncos.

Nick Shumlanski, the only one of the 14 injured in the crash to be released from hospital, attended the vigil wearing his white, green and yellow team jersey, an obvious bruise under his left eye.